A high-tech start-up that plans to use digital technology to revolutionise the hearing test industry has won The Irish Times/Synergy Centre competition and the prize of a year's free tenancy at the Synergy Centre.
The innovation and incubation centre, which opened last year, is based at IT Tallaght. It provides office space and business support to early-stage enterprises, with a focus on the high-tech and knowledge-intensive sectors.
ClearTone was among several dozen companies that entered the competition. The winner was announced last night at aawards event hosted by the centre. As well as a year's free office rent, worth at least €10,000, ClearTone's lighting, broadband, security and cleaning costs will all be covered. Since it was founded in January 2005, ClearTone has developed a software-based hearing test machine that it plans to launch at a major trade show in the US in April. The company sees a lucrative business opportunity in the fact that, while hearing aids have evolved from analogue to digital, hearing test equipment is still analogue-based.
ClearTone also conservatively projects export revenues of €750,000 in its second year, rising to €2.5 million in its third year.
ClearTone's managing director, Martin Ganter, said: "Winning this competition gives ClearTone a great start. Like all new companies, keeping a lid on costs is a key priority for us early on and getting free office space will be a big help. The Synergy Centre also gives us a great opportunity to network both with other technology businesses there and with researchers at IT Tallaght. There are people there with hardware, software and electronics expertise and we would hope to tie in with them in some way."
ClearTone was one of three companies shortlisted. The others were Global Security Devices, a developer of access control systems for the security industry and Tigim Research Labs, a mobile software firm.
Nicola Mountford, director, the Synergy Centre, said: "We are delighted with how the competition went. We got a lot of entries and the quality was really excellent throughout. It really does augur well for the future of the technology sector."
